Method and mechanism for making knitted fabric



June 7,1932. A: GRENZ 1,862,514

METHOD AND MECHANISM FoR MAKING KNITTED FABRIC Filed April 11, 1932 12sheets-sheet 1 A, GRAENZ June 7, 1932.

` METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR MAKING KNITTED vFABRIC vFiled April ll, 193212Sh69tS-.Shee'c 2 K June 7, 1932. A. GRAENZ 1,862,514

METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR MAKING KNITTED FABRIC v J Filed April 11., 1932lzvsheets-sheet s y 20 25 hl lll l June 7,1932. A A. GRAENZ 1,862,514

METHOD AND MECHAN'ISM FOR MAKING KNITTED FABRIC Filed April 11, 1932 12Sheets-sheet` 4 June 7, 1932. A, GRAENZ METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR MAKINGKNITTED FABRIC Filed April ll, 1932 12 Sheets-Sheetl 5 Jun@ Y, 1932 A.GRAENz METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR MAKING KNITTED FABRIC l2 Sheets-Sheet 6Filed April l1, 1932 A. GRAENZ June 7, 1932.

y METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR MAKING KNlTTED FABRIC Filed April l1, 195212'SheetS-Sheet '7 E :z \N\ ND| \OO.OGO.OOOGO.O\U\\.\\OOOGGOOGOOOOO.GOOOOO *4| x D N m mw w NM MM MW. \w\ A@ -WN .ENI QNum. L| mw Plne 7.@ W32 ARAENZ 4METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR MAK1NG KNITTED111131110 Filed April 11, 1952 lz-Shee'ns-sheet 9 im@ 79 E932. A. GRAN@METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR MAKNG KNITTED FABRIC Filed April 11, 19,52

12'Shee1s-Sheet l0 june 7, 1932. A GRAENZ METHOD AND MECHAANSM FORMAKING KNITTED FABRIC Filed Apriillylssz 1,2v Sheets-Sheet l l l June 7,1932. Al GRAENZ METHOD VAND MECHANISM FOR MAKING KNITTED FABRIC FiledApril 11', 1932 12' Sheets-Sheet l2 Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE ALFRED GRAENZ, F IEI-IIL ADIELLIPHIA,A PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR T0 NON-RUN FABRIC AND MACHINE CO., INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATIQON OF NEW YORK METHOD AND MECHANISM For. MAxINelxNITTED FABRICAppiicatin mea 'Aprii 11, 1532. seran No. 604,474.

v This invention relates to a novel and improved method for making aknitted fabric,

together Awith a mechanism `which may be used in the practice of themethod, more particularly in connection with knitting hosiery.

This application is a. continuation in part of divisible subject mattercontained in my copending application, Serial No. 567,555, filed October8, 1931, Patent No. 1,856,0534 with the addition of certain parts ofmechanism not illustrated in said copending application.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from thefollowing description and the annexed drawings, in which I haveillustrated a-selected embodiment of amechanism which may be used in thepractice of the invention and examples of the novel fabric resultingtherefrom.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a view on an exaggerated scaleshowing one form' of stitch which may be used in making thefabric. f'

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a different arrangementof stitches which may be employed. p

Figs. 3 to 1(1), inclusive, are diagrammatic views in the form ofsections through the sinker head and associated mechanism and showingsuccessive steps in the'practice of one method which may be used in-making a fabric similar to what is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, Fig. 7 beingtaken upon a section line through the wale of loops adjoining the walethrough which the preceding Figs. 3 to 6 are taken.

Figs. 11v and 12 are diagrammatic views in perspective showing therelation of the different loops of the fabric to each other during f theformation of certain stitches.

Fig. 13 is a vertical. transverse section through one form of knittingmachine illustrating one method of giving one of the necessary movementsperformed in practicing the invention.

Fig. 14 is a view c,similar to Fig. 13, but taken on a diiferent'planeparallel to that of Fig. 13 and illustrating one form of mechanism whichmaybe used in giving another movement which cooperates with the movementcaused by the mechanism of Fig. 13.

taken from the right of Fig. 14, showing the mechanism appearing in theupper partof that figure. l

Fig. 16 is a view on any enlarged scale taken on the same plane as thatof Fig. 14 and showing certain parts appearing in that figure.

Fig. 17 is a section on the line 17-17 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a section on the line 18--18 of Fig. 15. p

Fig. 19 is a section on the line 19-19 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 20 is a diagrammatic view showing the control means for some ofthemechanism illustrated in the other figures,

V Fig. 21 is a view taken on a plane parallel to the planes of Figs. 13and 14 and showing the mechanism for operating the needlebar.

Fig. 22 is a diagram ofthe cam 37 drawn on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 23 is a diagram of one of the cams for causing the needle movement.

Figs. 24, 25, and 26 are diagrams illustrating the movements of theneedles and points.

Fig. 27 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the front of a. machineshowing certain parts whose operation will be laterdescribed.

Fig. 28 is a detail view of part of the mechanism appearing in Fig. 27.'

Fig. 29 is another detail showing certain parts to better advantage thanin Fig. 27.

Fig. 30 is a View of a stocking blank which l may be .knitted on themechanism shown in this application.

Fig. 31 is a perspective view of the com- 1 vention is one in which itis substantially novel fabric may be made on a Reading machine, andmerely for the sake of convenience, the drawings illustrate changeswhich may be made in 4such machine in order to practice the invention.Other parts of the machine which are well known to those skilled in theart, and which are not necessary to an understanding of the invention,have been omitted for the sake of simplicity.

The fabric` constructed according to my inimpossible for a so-called runto take place or in which such va run can be limited, 'dei pending uponthe specific arrangement of stitches. y 4

Referring first to Fig. 1, I have shown therein one form of stitch whichwill prevent formation of a run in a knitted fabric, particularly of thefull-fashioned type, although it is to be understood that the samestitch may be used with other types of knitted fabric. In this figure, Ihave shown a fragment of knitted fabric comprising a series of coursesand Wales, with each course formed The which may be formed in any usualway, and which are shown in this figure by` Way of contrast with theother courses to be described.

It will be seen that in the course designated 4, each alternate looptowards the upper part of the figure, and which infact is a needle loop,is extended upwardly and to the right into the course designated 5 andused as a needle loop in that course. For example, theloop designated 6is formed with the thread 7 and would ordinaril in thev prior art, forma needle loop in t e course designated 4. It is, however, carried into`the course'design'ated 5 and `displaced transversely in that course so`as to form part of an adjacent wale and an additional needle loop in thecourse 5. Its bight or a portion thereof, being laterally displaced orshifted, overlaps with the loop' 8 and forms a lock stitch at thispoint. Assuming that the loo 9 in the next course 10 should break, thenthe run will at once stop because the loop 6 is" oiset into an adjacentwale and locked in placelthere, so that it cannot be released as wouldbe necessary'to continue the run.

In the course designated 5, the loops, such as the loop 6, are shown asdisplaced towards the right, thus changing from one Wale to an -be' oneor .more plain courses as desired. As a l matter of fact, a short runofone or two courses may not be found undesirable, and thereforethequestion as to how many courses shall be made with the lockingstitches is one Leeaau largely of choice. For example, inFig. 1'I

have shown a sin le plain .course 10 "and 'a plain course 13, wlththetwo courses 11 and 14 therebetween. rl'hese two courses 11 and 14together form what may be termed a locking zone, and for aebest resultsit is preferable' not to have more than one plain course between any twolocking zones, although, as

the sinker loops of the course 5, this course 5,

being a course of normalloops, and then is deposited upon the threadformingsuch normal loops in this course. That is to say, the threadforming'the displaced loop is'passed under a portion of a thread in acourse of normal loops-and then over another portion of the threads inthe same course.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a. similar arrangement in which there areprovided' plain coursesl separated by courses 16 and 17, which togetherform a locking zone, this being very much like the arrangement shown inFig.1, except that here the displacement of the locking loops is all inone direction. The term normaPis'herein employed to indicate loopsof theplain .courses as well as'other loops which A`are not laterallydisplaced or shifted asherein'described.

While I have shown `the locking loops as comprising every other loop inasingle course, it-is possible touse every loop in a making differentdesigns of fabric. It will be seen that in no wale is there a continuousline of loops, but that there are loops at appropriate intervals thatare offset into adjacent wales and locked there, thus positively prevventing a run in the Wale from which the loop is offset.

Referring now morelparticularly to Figs. 3 to 10,v inclusive, Iwilldescribe the sequence of steps which takes place in forming thefahric described above, and in considering these figures, reference willalso be had to Figs. 11, 12, 24, 25 and'. 26. In Figs. 24, 25 and 26,the various numerals designate ypoints corresponding to Figs. 3 to l0,inclusive, and indicate the positions of the needle and point. in

each of these figures. Fig. I25 shows the position lof-a certain pointcooperating with the needle whose movement is indicated in Fig. 24, bothFigs. 24 and 25 showing the movement of the needle as viewed in the sameplane as that in which Figs. 3 to 10 were taken, whereas Fig'. 26 showsthe movement of a point in a plane at right angles to the i dles,ldividers, and sinkers are grooved lockl 5 cause the movement ofthe pointand needle according to the'diagi'ams of Figs. 24 and 25. Fig. 22 is anenlarged diagram of the cam 37 appearing in Fig. 13. In Fig. 13 this camis shown merely in a diagrammatic way form,-whereas Fig. 22 is drawn toshow more clearly the relations of the Various parts of l the cam toeach other and to the corresponding parts of the cam operating theneedle. Fig. 23 shows the cam 83 for operating the needle in a Verticalplane corresponding to the planes indicated in Fig. 3.. Legends havebeen placed on Figs. 22 and 23 indicatingr the portions of the camperiphery which are in action while the needle and point are in thepositions in the various Figures 3 to 10inclnsive; It will not benecessary to repeat the subject matter of these legends herein.

In connection with the Showing in Fig. 23 of the needle operating 'cam83, the showing is enlarged and is more detailed than in the otherfigures. Said other figures merely indicate the cam vdiagrammatically.,

The successive positions of the different elements used in forming thestitches and the successive positions of the various threads and thefabric are shown in Figs. 3 to 10, inclusive, wherein the numeral 18designates a spring-beard needle adapted to catch a thread art. Theneedle shown is one of a row of needles mounted in a needle bar andreciprocated vertically and horizontally by mechanism which is known inthe art and 1which is indicated in Fig. 21.

`Associated with the needle are the usual sinker 19 and a divider, 20which are likewise operated by mechanism known in the art and shown inFig. 21.- Associated with the nee-,

points,v which are shown at 21 in the figures being discussed and theoperating means for which is shown and will be described further inconnection with Figs. 13 to 20, inclusive. For the present, it willsuiiice to say that` the points are arranged to be reciprocatedvertically, and horizontally in a plane at right angles to the plane ofthe drawings, the vertical reciprocation being on the arc of a circle,aswill be more fully described later.

Assuming that the parts are in the posi-I tion shown in Fig. 3, theknitted fabric is leaving the machine in the direction of the arrow andis designated 22. The last row of loops 23 is inl position ontheknockingover bits 24 and anew courseis being formed with the tghread25. at this stage this thread being formed of sinker loops,26engaging e)the sinkers 19 and needle loops 26 engaging without any attempt toindicate its exact and pull it through a previously formed loop in amanner well known in the the needles 18. In the practice of myinvention, thetransfer of selected loops `into adjacent wales occurssubstantially simultaneously with the laying of the thread for the nextsucceedingfcourse and while the thread for that succeeding course isbeing measured or formed into kinks or bendsbctween the needles throughthe action of-the j sinkers and the dividers.

The needles 18 are now moved downward?y i ly, as are also the points 21,and, as shown in h Figs 4 and 11, the beard 18 of the needle engages thenew loop 26 to carry itdown through a loop 23, in a manner Well known inthe art. At the same time, the point 2.1v is moving downwardly at afasterrate ofspeed than the needle, and receives the beard 18 in itsgroove as shown in Fig. 5, and the lower end 27 of the point 21 firstforces the beard 18 against the shank of the needle and then engageswithin 'the loop 23 and pulls it tight as indicated in Fig. 6 and invdotted lines in Fig. 12. The needle bar at the same time d is movedbackwardly or away to the right as appearing in .these figures, and thushelps in forming the loops as just described. The v result is that theloop 23 is of a length such that it will extend into the next course ofthe fabric. The needle continues to move downwardly until it leaves theplane of the fabric as seen in Fig. 7, still carryingl with it thethread forming the new loop, and it will be seen in Fig., 7 that theneedle is clear of the point. j

The point, however, is still in engagement with the bight of the loop23,and at this stage it is given a movement transversely of the wales, sothat at least a portion of the loop 23 with which the point is engagedwill be moved bodily from one existent wale to an adjacent Wale,preferably to the next adjacent Wale, to the position shown in fulllines j in Fig. 12. The amount of displacement of a loop 23 by a pointis suflicient to bring it into position to be engaged by an adjacentneedle and preferably by' the next adjacent needle. The operation thenproceeds with the needles rising. and the displaced loop 23 will beengaged by an vadjacent needle and will then occnpy`the position shown..for example,`by loop 6 in Fig. 1. That is to say, it will be engagedbya new loop corresponding to the loop 9 shown in Fig. 1,A and willlform a lock loop or thread engaging the loop in the next course.Finally. the parts are returned to the positionshown in Fig. 10, whichcorrespond to those shown in Fig. 3. and the operation may be repeatedas often as desired to get the eorreet'number of lock stitches needed toprevent running -or to form the desired pattern in the fabric.

It will also be noticed that the locking formed from th'thread 25. iThat is to say,

a plain course of loops is being formed from the thread 25simultaneously with the shifting of the locking loops 23.

' Referring now to Figs. 13 to 20, inclusive, I have shown the points 21as mounted on a bar 28, Fig. 15 indicating two such bars disposedadjacent each other for the purpose of knitting separate articles, itbeing understood that usually a number of articles, such as stockings,are manufactured on one mathe means for giving the first-named movementwill now be described, this moans bemg best shown in Fig 13. The bar 28is astened to theshaft 29 upo y an arm 30, which in turnis secured to arock cam shaft 38. When in the position shown in Fig. 13, the rollerengages the cam at its high I shaft 31 mounted in suitable bearings uponthe frame of the machine, and this shaft 31 is rockedin order'to givethe vertical reciprocation of the points 21. The reciprocation iscaus'edby a link 32 connected to the shaft 29 and pivoted at 33 to a rockingarm 34 pivoted at one end at 35 to the frame of the machine, andAintermediate its ends carrying a roller 36 adapted to engage a` cam l37on the point 39, which is concentric with the shaft 38 so that passageof the part 39 will not cause actuation of the arm 34. Means to bepresently described is provided for releasing the arm 34 so'that it maybe operated by the cam 37.

Referring now to Figs. 14, 15,'and 16, the transverse movement of thepoints 21 is caused by means of a pattern wheel 40 which may be in theform of a wheel rotating on a shaft 41,

and having cam faces on opposite sides thereof cooperating with rollers42 on a guide 43 slidably mounted on the shaft 29. The guide 43 isprovided with ears 44v .engaging collars 45 fastened on a shaft 46slidably mounted for longitudinal movement on theframe of the machine.Secured rigidly to the shaft 46, as by brackets 47, are the bars 28 inwhich the points are mounted so that movement of the 'guide 43 along theshaft 29causes move-- ment of thepoints 21 an equal amount.

The wheel 40 is rotated Aintermittentlyas byl a. pawl and ratchetarrangement, here shown as comprising a ratchet 48 secured to the shaft41 so as to rotate withk the wheel and operated by a pawl 49 pivoted at50 to an` arm 51 of a bell crank lever secured on a rock shaft 52..` Theother arm 53 of t-he lever has at its end a roller 54 @engaging a cam'55 on the cam shaft 38. rlhe cam 55 is adaptedy to intermittently rockthe bell crank lever and thusl operate the pawl and rotate the ratchettenacia and, consequently, the wheel 40. The pawl is held in yieldingengagement with the ratchlet as by a spring 56.

When forming plain courses of fabric, the cams 37 and 55 should beinoperative, and, as pointed out above, the roller 36 is heldinoperative upon rotation of the cam 37, this being done by a latch 57engaging a pin 58 on the arm 34. The latch 57 is mounted upon a -rockshaft 59 upon which is also secured an is slidably mounted on its shaft54. These e vrollers 54 and 61 may be moved on their shiafts 54 and G1to a position where they do not engage the cams 55 and 62, respectively,and then means is provided for simultaneously moving them intoengagement with those cams.

In Fig. 14 I havel shown a forked lever 63 engaging the roller 54 andpivoted on the arm 53 as at 64. Similarly, t-he roller 61 is engaged bya forked lever 65 pivoted at 66 on the arm 60. Secured to the oppositeends of the levers 63 and 65 is a rod 67 so that' movement of thisrodf67 will operate both rollers 54 and 6l to bring them intooperativerelation to the cams 55 and 62, or out of engagement therewith.

The rod 67 may be thus operated by the means shown in Fig. 20, whichcomprises a rock shaft 68 supported in suitable brackets 69 on the frameof the machine and carrying an arm 70 pivoted to the rod 67. The otheren d of the rock shaft may carry an arm 71 pivoted to a link 72 which isin turn pivotedA to a bell crank lever 73 having at its end a nose 74disposed in position to be engagedby buttons 75 upon a chain 76 whichmay be driven by a sprocket 77, which in turn is operated by suitableconnections from the cam shaft 38. The buttons are so arranged that theoperation of the rod 67 and, consequently, of the cams 55 and 62, willcause movement of the points 21 in synchronism with the needle bar toperform, the operations described above. g

The wheel-40 forms a pattern wheel which may be varied to obtain anydesired arrangement of lock stitches or loops in the knitted fabric, andthe buttons 75 on the chain may be variedto control the number oflocking zones used in the fabric. The arrangement is thus a veryflexible one, as the attern vxheel v making it of segments as indicated`in Fig. 16, and by holding the segments in place Aas by pins 78 passingthrough the ratchet 48 on one side.` For help in assemblin and also as asafety provision in operation provide on the opposite sides of the wheel40 a second ratchet 79 engaging a pawl 80 urged into engagement-withteeth on the ratchet as by a spring 81. This is a two-way ratchet usedto prevent overrunning and also helps to hold the segments of the wheelin place.

Referring now to Fig. 21, I have indicated therein a means for operatingthe needle bar, sinkers, and dividers. This mechanism will not bedescribed in detail, as it generally follows the usual mechanism foroperating these elements in a machine of the Reading type. The needles18 are mounted in the usual needle bar 82, and the needle bar, sinkers,and dividers are all operated from the cam shaft 38 by the cams 83, 84,and 85. The cams in my machine are varied from the cams ordinarilyemployed in this type of machine, in order to vary the timing of theneedle bar, sinkers, and dividers, but otherwise theconnections areclosely similar to those usually employed, and therefore a detaileddescription will not be indulged in.

Referring now to Figs. 27, 28, and `29,v I have shown particularly inFig. 27 parts previously described in rela-tion to certain other partsof the machine, especially tothe narrowing mechanism. The usualnarrowingV points are indicated at 86, but these points are not used inthe' operation of narrowing a stocking blank when using my invention.Instead of using the narrowing points, the travel of the thread carrieris varied and in thefvarious locking zones the displaced loops whichoccur at the end of the thread carrier movement will form an edgeportion of the fabric of such character that it may be used in forming aseam, without the provision of any special selvage. In other words, thefact that the body of the stocking blank is of substantially non-runcharacter throughout makes it possible to place the edge of the fabricanywhere that it is desired tohave' it, and all that is .necessary is tolimit the travel of the thread carrier.

In Fig. 32- is shown a section of the fabric forming the blank of Fig.30. This blank, which is designated 87, has edges 88 and 89, the fabricadjacent the edge 88 being s hown r on an enlarged scale in Fig. 32, inwhich,

however, the from that .in comes from the machine. The character of thefabric shown in Fig. -32 is the same as that appearing in Figs. 1, 2,11, and 12, and more particularly has been drawn like that psition ofthe fabric is reversed appearing in Fig. 1.' I will assume that thedisplaced loops are those designated 23 in Figs. 11 and 12, althoughsome are shown displaced in one direction and some in the other.

of fabric.

it is'desirable sometimes to make the foot of ig. 30 to show the fabricas it Assuming that the blank is of full width at the locking zoneformed' of the two courses 90 and 91 and that the thread carrier hasformed the course 91 while traveling towards the right of Fig. 32, thenon its return travel it will lay the thread in the plain course 92,

Then it will return, laying the course 93, the travel of the threadcarrier being buried so that the thread will not catch the needle loops94 in the course 92, which are thus left loose or dropped. Similarly,dropped loops 95 may be left at the selected intervals along the edge ofthe blank, either singly or in groups of two or more. A similararrangement is used on the other edge 89 of the fabric, as will beunderstood. This blank and the novel features just described are moreparticularly described and are claimed in my copending applicationSerial No. 607,027, filed April 23, 1932.

There are sufficient of the locking loops 23 in each wale so that theedge of the fabric is maintained firm enough to be used in forming aseam, and therefore it is possible to knit Atraveling towards the leftofthis figure.

other loose orv an entire stocking, for example, of this'type l Forpractical reasons, however,

ordinary knitted .fabric formed of plain loops, and therefore Iprefer'to retain in mymachine the narrowing points and to-so arrange theparts that these points may be used for knitting on -the foot.

Briefly, what I prefer to do is tp make the leg of the blank 87 of mynew fabric down to the commencement 96 of the heel tabs 97. I

'then continueknitting, making the-top or instep 98 of the foot of thesame kind of fabric as the leg, but making the heel tabs 97 with plainloops or, in other words, of ordinary knitted fabric. Similarly, thefoot 99 is also knit of ordinary fabric, and during the op# erating ofknitting the heel tabs and foot,

changed to ma e either a .non-run fa ric or the ordinary type of fabric,whichever is desired.l

. Referring again more particularly to Figs. 27, 28, and 29, I haveshown therein the usual cam shaft 38 having thereon the 'camsreviouslydescribed and which are indicate by like numerals in thisfigure. For example, the needles 18v are operated by means of the cams83 and 84, although part of the operating mechanism, particularly thatoperated by the cam 84, has been omitted for the sake of clearness ofillustration of other parts.`V

In machines of this type, it is common to have thread carrier bars 100.The motion of these bars is caused by the Coulier motion well known inthe art and which, therefore.,-

isc y 13'6'may move into position to be engaged by l the cam.

Spaced along the shaft 38 from the cam A 135 is a cani146 having aportion 147 disposed so as to substantially contact with the roller y136when the roller is in the position I shown in Fig. 28. When the roller'136 is moved inwardly towards the shaft 38 as described above, to engagethecam 135, it rides inside the cam 146 or, in other words, nearer tothe shaft 38 than is the cam 146. l

Upon tripping of the detent 139, the roller 136 is brought intoengagement with the cam 135 as described above, and the entire shaft 38with associated cams will be moved towards the right of Fig. 27, thismovement bringing the roller 136 within the cam 146 or nearer the shaftthan the cam surface. As the cam shaft rotates, a nose 148 rigidlysecuredto the 'cam 135 will come into engagenient with a roller 149secured to the shaft 137 and thus force the shaft 137 andthe roller 136outwardly away from the cam shaft 3 8 to a position where the detent 139will again operate to hold the roller 136 out of engagement withv thecam 135 Aagainst the action of the spring 143. Since the cam shaft 38has been shifted towards the right from -the positions shown in Figs. 27and 28, the

roller 136 will now be in substantial engagement with the portion 150 ofthe cam 146, and as this cam rotates with the cam shaft, the roller 136will cause shifting of the cam shaft back towards the left of Fig. 27until' it reaches the position now Vshown in that figure.

The shifting of the cam shaft 38 towards the right of Fig. 27 will bringthe cam 115 into position to be engaged by the roller 122, and thus thearm 121 will be rocked to operate both ratchets 106 and 111 which, inturn,

will actuate both the narrowing nuts and the carrier nuts. In otherwords, the narrowing operation will be performed in thevmanner common inknitting plain fabric prior to my Y pears under a microscope whenconstructed in accordance with 'what is shown in Fig. 33. It is ofcourse to be understood that in Figs. l, 2,11, and 12 I have shown theloops in a conventional way commonly used in the artand which shows therelation of the various loops to each other while the fabric is beingknit on the machine. It iswell known in the art that' after a fabricleaves the machine, the loops will mutually adapt \or accommodatethemselves and cause the fabric to have a superficially differentappearance.

Comparing Figs. 33a and 33, the locking y or displaced loops aredesignated 152, and the needle loops 153, because of the displacement ofthe loops 152, have pulled downwardly in their respective wales untileach loop 153 is'only a short distance above the next needle loop 154 inthe same wale. Similarlyand for the same reason, eachv needle loop 155has its bight opened and one side 155 thereof pulled over anddownwardlyv by the loop 153.' The displaced loop-152 in Fig. 33b isstillgdisposed above the side 157 of the needle loop 158 which, in Fig.33a, is covered by the displaced loop 152, but in Fig. 33b the bight ofthis loop 158 has moved horizontally out from under the bight of theloop 152. Such displacements are, ofcourse, expected in practice, but itis evident that the desirable properties of the fabric are maintainedafter the fabric has been removed from the machine. Moreover, it will beseen that the loops 153 form the course from which the loops 152aredisplaced, three successive courses being designated by the loops 154,153, and 158.

While I have shown and described a selected .method and specificmechanism for practicj comprises forming successive courses and walesoflloops, and displacing selected loops, i

each loop being displaced from a Wale in the bodyV of the fabric into anadjacent Wale while simultaneously moving the thread for a succeedingcourse of loops.

2. The method of knitting a fabric which comprises forming successivecourses and wales of loops, and displacing selected loops by lockingpoints from one course into an adjacent course while simultaneouslymoving the thread for a succeeding course of loops into said course.

3. The method'of knitting a fabric which' comprises forming lockingloops and during the formation thereof forming a succeeding course ofplain loops.

4. The method of knitting afabric which comprises forming loops in acourse consisting of alternate sinker and needle loops, With needles insaid needle loops, inserting locking points into selected ones of saidneedle loops and displacing said selected loops into the po-V sition tobe occupied by a succeeding course while the needles are still Withinthe loops in said first-named course. v

5. The method of knitting a fabric Which comprises forming loops in acourse consisting of alternate sinker and needle loops, with needles insaid needle loops, inserting locking points into selected ones of saidneedle loops and displacing said selected loops into the sition to b'eoccupied by a succeeding course.

and into an adjacent Wale While the needles are still Within the loopsin said first-named course. i

7. The method of knitting a fabric which'r comprises .forming loops 'ina course. consisting of alternate sinker and needle loops, With needlesin said needle loops, inserting locking points into selectedones of saidneedle loops and displacing said selected loops into the po- Vsitionto`be'occupied by a succeeding course and into an adjacent'wale Whilethe needles are still Within the loops in said first-named needles 'insaid needle loops, laying thread for a succeeding course of alternatesinker and Jlneedle loops above said first-named course, insertinglocking points into selected ones of said needle loops and displacingsaid needles in said needle loops, laying thread for a succeeding courseof alternate sinker and needle loops above said first-named course,inserting locking points into selected ones of said needle loops anddisplacing said course and While said needles are forming loops in saidsucceeding course. l

8. The inetliod oll knitting a fabric Which comprises forming loops in acourse consisting of alternate sinker and needle loops, with needles insaid needle loops, inserting locking points into selected ones of saidneedles loops,

' displacing said selected loops into the position `tobe occupied by asucceeding--coursef While the needles are still Within the loops insaid. first-named course, and depositing bight 'portionsof saiddisplaced loops upon r the loops of said succeeding course.

9. The methodl of knitting a fabric Which comprises forming loops in acourse. consisting of alternate sinker and needle loops, with needles insaid needleloops, inserting locking points into selected ones of saidneedle loops, displacing said selected loops into the position to beoccupied by a succeeding course While the needles are still Within theloops in said first-named coui'se and While said needles are formingloops in said succeeding course,

and depositing bight portions of said displaced loops upon the loops ofsaid succeeding course.

10. The method of kiiittiiiga fabric Which comprises forming loops in acourse consist-- ing of alternate sinker and needle loops, with selectedloops into the position to be occupied by said succeeding course andinto an adjacent Wale While moving the needle to briii'gsaid threadthrough-the loopsfof said iirst-naiiied-course and beneath the thread ofsaid displaced loops.

l2. ln a knitting machine of the class described, iiieans for formingsuccessive courses :and Wales of loops, and means for displacing bghtportions of selected loops from one Wale into another Wale in the bodyof the fabric While simultaneously moving the thread for a succeedingcourse of loops into said course.

13. ln a knitting machine of the class described, nieans for formingsuccessive courses and Wales of loops, and means for displacing bightportions of selected loops from one 'ceirse into another course in thebody of the fabric While simultaneously moving the thread for asucceeding course of loops into saidy course.

14. ln a knitting machine of the class described, means for 'oi'niingsuccessive courses and Wales of loops, and means for displacing bightportions of selected loops from one course into'another course and intoanother Wale in the body of the fabric While simultaneously moving thethread for a succeeding course of loops into said course.

l5. ln a knitting machine of the class described, a needle bar havingthereon a row of needles, sinkers and dividers associated with saidneedles, means to operate said needles, sinkers and dividers, a row oflocking points parallel With said roW of needles, means to .operate saidpoints in syiichronism With said needles, sinkers and dividers, a roW of10cklGO

